Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Maybe I can take a moment to try to answer Mr. Erasmus' question in some detail, because we seem to keep coming back to it and I believe that we need to move on to other things. My friend, Mr. Erasmus, is right to be concerned about this issue. We all want to be satisfied that the interests of aboriginal people and others targeted by our affirmative action policy are adequately protected. The changes we have made, I believe, are the right ones. The bottom line is that we had to become a smaller and more efficient government, if we are to maintain acceptable levels of services to people in our community. Where Mr. Erasmus and I do not agree, is how to ensure that the objectives of the affirmative action are met on an ongoing basis. My approach, and the approach endorsed by Cabinet and this Legislative Assembly, is to put the onus of advancing the principles, square on the shoulder of the deputy ministers, who have the operational responsibility for the administration of this policy.

I can assure you, Mr. Speaker, that this is a matter that I have specifically raised with the deputy ministers in the past. It was an issue I specifically raised with several of them during the course of my recent performance review process. They are on notice that it is an issue for which their performance will be specifically addressed in June when I meet with them again. If I was a deputy minister, I would be taking that quite seriously. Mr. Speaker, I realize that we need to revitalize the affirmative action policy of this government, that is why we have committed to bringing a paper forward for discussion by Members of this Assembly, where we can agree that appropriate changes should be made. We will do that. However, Mr. Speaker, once that is done, I will still be looking to the deputy ministers to make sure that the objectives of the policy are met. What it comes down to, Mr. Speaker, is whether we have confidence in our senior managers to manage the priorities we give them. Mr. Speaker, I do. Thank you.